Battle of Sacramento (Kentucky)

The Battle of Sacramento, also known as the Battle of Blackford's Farm, was a minor engagement of the American Civil War, fought on December 28, 1861, in Sacramento, McLean County, Kentucky. Confederate forces under the command of Colonel Nathan Bedford Forrest decisively defeated a Union cavalry detachment led by Major Eli Murray.

Forrest, with approximately 250-300 men, ambushed a larger Union force of roughly 600 cavalrymen. The Union troops, largely inexperienced, were caught off guard and quickly routed. Forrest personally led several charges, contributing significantly to the Confederate victory. The battle is notable for being one of Forrest's first major independent commands and demonstrated his aggressive and effective tactics early in the war.

The casualties were relatively light, but the Confederate victory boosted morale in the region and helped to solidify Confederate control in western Kentucky for a time. The Union defeat led to a shakeup in command and a reassessment of Union cavalry tactics in the area. While not a strategically decisive battle, the Battle of Sacramento served as a valuable learning experience for both sides and contributed to the evolving cavalry warfare of the Civil War.